Timo Kulmala, the former managing director of Helsinki Water, faces charges of accepting bribes and misusing his official position. A preliminary hearing in the legal process began at Helsinki District Court on Thursday.
The prosecution feels that Kulmala misused his official position by acquiring goods and services for the construction site of a house he was building in the Vartioharju area of Helsinki at the expense of the water utility. According to the charges, he used equipment belonging to Helsinki Water, and had some of its employees work on the construction during their paid working hours.
In addition, Kulmala is being charged with effectively taking bribes. He allegedly had digging work for his home and his summer cottage done for free by a building contractor which did much work for Helsinki Water.
The prosecutor calculates that Kulmala benefited to the tune of about EUR 53,000 from the shady dealings.
In addition to Kulmala, there are seven other defendants in the case. Four are charged with bribery.
There are also indictments for aggravated fraud, aggravated tax evasion, and aiding and abetting the misuse of an official position.
Kulmala was removed from his position in June 2005. Two employees of the network section of Helsinki Water were also sacked at the time.
Police say that the malfeasance began in 2003.
